Jug Contender Won The West Has Plenty Of Ohio Backers

by Tom White

DELAWARE, OH--”If you are from Ohio winning the Little Brown Jug is everything,” says Bill Robinson, one of six Ohioans who share ownership of the three-year-old pacer Won The West. 

Robinson and his fellow Buckeyes expect to be in Delaware, OH on Thursday afternoon, September 20th for the 62nd Little Brown Jug to cheer on their 3-year-old gelding pacer Won The West.  Won The West earned his ticket to the Jug this past weekend when he won his elimination and was second in the Final of the $320,125 Adios Pace at The Meadows.

In 2005, Robinson, a Columbus businessman who lives in Findlay, and his partners purchased Won The West as a yearling for $35,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg, Pa. The gelding’s other owners are Jim Koehler and the Strollin Stable (James J., James N. John R. and Randall Kantzer).

Robinson has owned Standardbreds since the mid-1980’s.  “We raced mostly at Scioto Downs and the county fairs.  We had  good colt (Buckeye One) who won a couple of Ohio Breeders Stakes at Delaware, but this could be our first Jug horse.

“Won The West did not start as a two-year-old. He had a hitch in his giddyup,” said Robinson.  “In February of this year we sent him to Mickey and Ronnie Burke at The Meadows.” 

The son of 1992 Jug runnerup Western Hanover first attracted attention when he won a division of the $200,000 Cleveland Classic on June 23 at Northfield Park.  “That was a big win,” said Robinson.  ‘We knew then that we had a pretty good horse.”  Since then Won The West has won two Pennsylvania Sires Stakes and the Tompkins-Geers.

But, it was his two tough heats in the Adios which have moved Won The West high up on the list of Little Brown Jug contenders.  In his elimination heat, Won The West defeated Pan Giovanni by a half-length in 1:51.4.  In the Final he lost by 1 1/4 lengths to stablemate May June Character.  “That horse dug hard and he never gave up,”said Ronnie Burke, who also praised driver Greg Grismore who has driven Won The West in most of his 19 starts this season.  Won The West has 12 victories and earnings of $229,414. 

Robinson also was thrilled with the gelding’s performance.  “He raced faster in the final heat and he came out of the race healthy and strong. For that reason we may start him in the Cane.”  The Cane Pace is raced at Freehold,  which, like Delaware, OH, is a half-mile track.  The Cane Pace eliminations are August 25 and the Final is September 3.  Won The West will make his final pre-Jug start in the Jug Preview on September 8 at Scioto Downs. 

“I have raced horses for 25 years at Delaware but never in the Jug.  But, now, we have a shot and just maybe

 we have a chance.  That would be really special,” said Robinson.